Players' appearances on Hall of Fame ballot cut from 15 to 10

Updated 11:24 pm, Saturday, July 26, 2014

On the eve of its annual induction ceremonies, the Baseball Hall of Fame introduced changes to its rules for election for recently retired players.

Eligible players will stay on the ballot a maximum of 10 years rather than 15, the Hall of Fame's board of directors announced Saturday.

Jane Forbes Clark, the chairman of the board of directors, said the changes are not aimed at the steroid era, and Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelsonsaid that limiting the time on the ballot will help streamline the process, including allowing the Veterans Committee to consider players sooner.

"It has become clearly evident in the last 30 years or so that after 10 years the likelihood of election is incredibly minimal," Idelson said. "The idea of making it more relevant was attractive to the board. We think it maintains the integrity of the process and for those that fall off the ballot after 10 years it gets them to consideration by the era committees a little sooner."

BBWAA Hall of Fame-eligible voters will now be required to complete a registration form and sign a code of conduct, and the names of those members casting ballots will be made public; however, an individual's ballot will not be revealed by the Hall of Fame.

Angell, Nadel honored: Longtime New Yorker writer Roger Angell received the Spink award Saturday, becoming the first non-BBWAA member to be recognized by the Hall of Fame. Angell was nominated by the Bay Area chapter of the BBWAA.

Angell, 93, said before the ceremony that he never thought he would receive the Spink, believing there was too much resentment by the daily baseball writers.

"Intense joy and a surprise to me," Angell said. "I never thought this would happen."

Rangers radio broadcaster Eric Nadel, winner of the Frick award presented to baseball broadcasters, said after a news conference that he supports late A's radio announcer Bill King as a Frick candidate. King has been a finalist for the award seven times.

"I would have voted for Bill," Nadel said. "To me, he was all things you want in a baseball announcer."